Names of Pokemon in Japanese

Hello, in this article I will present the name of some of the Pokemon in Japanese.

Introduction

You might know that Japanese like to shorten commonly used words. パトカー (PATOKĀ) is the short for パトロル・カー (PATORORU KĀ – patrol car). So do you know what Pokemon is the short for? ポケモン (POKEMON) is the short for ポケット・モンスター (POKETTO MONSUTĀ – pocket monster).

As you will see, the names are all written using katakana.

I also put the most probable origin for the names of the Pokemons. Words in hiragana are Japanese words, words in katakana are either translation of English words into Japanese, onomatopoeia or non-standard Japanese words.

List of Pokemon

Here are some of the first and second with their default form and first evolution.

ピカチュウ [PIKACHŪ] (ピカピカ: sparkling, ちゅう:  rat squeak) – Pikachu
ライチュウ [RAICHŪ] (ライトのング: lightning, ちゅう:  rat squeak) – Raichu

フシギダネ [FUSHIGIDANE] (ふしぎ: marvellous, たね: seed) – Bulbasaur
フシギソウ [FUSHIGISŌ] (ふしぎ: marvellous, ソウ: grass) – Ivysaur

ヒトカゲ  [HITOKAGE] (ひ: fire,トカゲ: lizard) – Charmander
リザード  [RIZĀDO] (リザード: lizard) – Charmeleon

ゼニガメ  [ZENIGAME] (ぜに: round coin with a square hole, かめ: turtle) – Squirtle
カメール  [KAMĒRU] (かめ: turtle, メール: mail, like in chain mail) – Wartortle

キャタピー [KYATAPĪ] (キャタピラ: caterpillar) – Caterpie
トランセル [TORANSERU] (トランスフォーメーション: transformation, セル: cell) – Metapod

ビードル  [BĪDORU] (ビー: bee, ニードル: needle) – Weedle
コクーン  [KOKŪN] (コクーン: cocoon) – Kakuna

ポッポ   [POPPO] (ぽっぽ: puffing) – Pidgey
ピジョン  [PIJON] (ピジョン: pigeon) – Pidgeotto

コラッタ  [KORATTA] (こ: child, young,  ラット: rat) – Rattata
ラッタ   [RATTA] (ラット: rat) – Raticate

ニドラン♀ [NIDORAN] (probably ニードル: needle, ラン: run) -Nidoran♀
ニドリーナ [NIDORĪNA] (probablyニードル: needle, リーノ: rhino with a final a to make it sound feminine) – Nidorina

ニドラン♂ [NIDORAN] (probably ニードル: needle, ラン: run) -Nidoran♂
ニドリーノ [NIDORĪNA] (probablyニードル: needle, リーノ: rhino) – Nidorino

ピッピ   [PIPPI] (???) – Clefairy
ピクシー  [PIKUSHĪ] (ピクシー: pixie) – Clefable

ロコン  [ROKON] (ろく: six, コンコン: fox bark) – Vulpix
キュウコン [KYŪKON] (きゅう: nine, コンコン: fox bark) – Ninetales

プリン  [PURIN] (probably プリティ: pretty, -りん: cute) – Jigglypuff
プクリン [PUKURIN] (probably ぷくぷく: cute and chubby, -りん: cute) – Wigglytuff

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